TAVARES — Lake County Manager Cindy Hall officially announced Tuesday, Aug. 25, that Lake County Library Services Director Wendy Breeden was promoted to be the director of the newly created Lake County Department of Public Resources.

BREEDEN

“Wendy brings a wealth of experience to this new position including growth of a library system that ranks [Lake County] favorably in the State, ability to achieve consensus and cooperation among diverse stakeholders, and a dedication to provide the best services possible to Lake County and its residents and visitors,” Hall wrote in a memorandum to the Lake County Board of County Commissioners.

Earlier this month, the Board of County Commissioners approved the County Manager’s reorganizational plan, which includes the creation of the Department of Public Resources. The new Department included the divisions of Library Services, Tourism & Business Relations, Parks & Trails and Agricultural Education. The Department also includes the programs of Public Lands Management and VolunteerLAKE.

“The creation of the Department of Public Resources helps brings the County’s leisure services into one department allowing for increased synergy between these divisions,” Breeden said.

In the past several years, Breeden has led the construction of two new libraries in Lake County: Citrus Ridge Library in the Four Corners area of Lake County and a joint-use Cooper Memorial Library between Lake County Government, Lake-Sumter Community College and University of Central Florida in Clermont. In addition, she successfully negotiated operating contracts with nine municipalities and two counties as well as reciprocal borrowing agreements with six surrounding counties. In 2006, she was awarded the “Florida Leader of the Year Award” from the Florida Library Association. She is the current President of the Florida Library Association.

Breeden has served as Librarian for U.S. Naval Support Activity in Naples, Italy, and as Library Director for the Winter Park Public Library. She was Library Coordinator in 1987 for the Lake County Board of County Commissioners working to develop the federated library system. She earned a master’s degree in Library Science from Florida State University.

For more information about the Lake County Department of Public Resources, call (352) 253-6153 or log on to www.lakecountyfl.gov.